Flexible Working In The Uk Legal Sector
  • Publish Date: Posted over 3 years ago
  • Author:by Cam d'Espagnac

Flexible Working in the legal profession

As much as I love the legal profession and all of it’s quirks, I think most will admit that flexibility, in the past has generally been frowned upon. By flexibility, I mean part-time hours, condensed hours and working from home. Pre-COVID, there was a common feeling that you MUST be in the office in order to manage your case load, and the expectation to be on call (in the office) for clients during the normal 9 to 5, Monday to Friday was a must.The Impact of COVID-19 on Legal Work CultureCOVID, although clearly causing many hardships and most sadly of course loss of life, has brought with it, some positive changes. In the legal profession (and other sectors), it has demonstrated that employees can and have succeeded in delivering the same level of client satisfaction and in many cases performance from Fee Earners and support staff has actually increased. IT systems, where they have not been modern, have had to be revolutionised and paper-based systems and files are, in many cases, being transferred to compliant and effective case management systems. It has also been proved that sickness levels have reduced and many staff report feeling stronger in terms of their mental health from being able to work from home.The Shift Towards Flexibility: Staff and Employer PerspectivesNow as we move back into the “normal world” and firms are seeing their staff return to offices, I have been having various conversations with HR Managers and Managing Partners about what they should do moving forwards.I think that many candidates (and current employees) are requesting flexibility from their employer, and in some cases where flexibility is not being offered, employees are leaving to find it elsewhere. That said, it also goes the other way and I have spoken to some candidates who are leaving their current employer in search of a firm which offers more of a “team atmosphere”.Strategies for Law Firms: Attracting and Retaining TalentSo what should law firms do? How can you attract and retain talent? How can you support and develop your junior members of staff when your Partners and senior Fee Earners wish to work from home most of the week?I think the short answer is simple – ask your staff what they want! And listen.However, the delivery of this can be quite different. Of course it depends on your firm’s setup (which can sometimes be complicated in Partnerships), and even more so, breaking this down into individual teams and recognising both strengths and weaknesses as well as technical ability and training/support/supervision requirements. Of course, there is also a large consideration to equal rights and ensuring that staff are all treated fairly!As we move forwards, I think firms need to be absolutely certain about the culture they are looking to achieve, and this of course comes under the headline “branding”. Once this is identified, it can be clearly communicated to the staff but also blasted far and wide into the market. If you get this right, attracting new talent is easy, and a clear brand helps to motivate current staff as it brings belonging and pride.Flexibility as a Key ConsiderationI don’t think there is necessarily a hard and fast rule about how much home working you should or shouldn’t offer your staff, however what is key is that firms should give serious consideration to offering some flexibility.Contact Us

Share this Article
Back to Blogs

As much as I love the legal profession and all of it’s quirks, I think most will admit that flexibility, in the past has generally been frowned upon. By flexibility, I mean part-time hours, condensed hours and working from home. Pre-COVID, there was a common feeling that you MUST be in the office in order to manage your case load, and the expectation to be on call (in the office) for clients during the normal 9 to 5, Monday to Friday was a must.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Legal Work Culture

COVID, although clearly causing many hardships and most sadly of course loss of life, has brought with it, some positive changes. In the legal profession (and other sectors), it has demonstrated that employees can and have succeeded in delivering the same level of client satisfaction and in many cases performance from Fee Earners and support staff has actually increased. IT systems, where they have not been modern, have had to be revolutionised and paper-based systems and files are, in many cases, being transferred to compliant and effective case management systems. It has also been proved that sickness levels have reduced and many staff report feeling stronger in terms of their mental health from being able to work from home.

The Shift Towards Flexibility: Staff and Employer Perspectives

Now as we move back into the “normal world” and firms are seeing their staff return to offices, I have been having various conversations with HR Managers and Managing Partners about what they should do moving forwards.

I think that many candidates (and current employees) are requesting flexibility from their employer, and in some cases where flexibility is not being offered, employees are leaving to find it elsewhere. That said, it also goes the other way and I have spoken to some candidates who are leaving their current employer in search of a firm which offers more of a “team atmosphere”.

Strategies for Law Firms: Attracting and Retaining Talent

So what should law firms do? How can you attract and retain talent? How can you support and develop your junior members of staff when your Partners and senior Fee Earners wish to work from home most of the week?

I think the short answer is simple – ask your staff what they want! And listen.

However, the delivery of this can be quite different. Of course it depends on your firm’s setup (which can sometimes be complicated in Partnerships), and even more so, breaking this down into individual teams and recognising both strengths and weaknesses as well as technical ability and training/support/supervision requirements. Of course, there is also a large consideration to equal rights and ensuring that staff are all treated fairly!

As we move forwards, I think firms need to be absolutely certain about the culture they are looking to achieve, and this of course comes under the headline “branding”. Once this is identified, it can be clearly communicated to the staff but also blasted far and wide into the market. If you get this right, attracting new talent is easy, and a clear brand helps to motivate current staff as it brings belonging and pride.

Flexibility as a Key Consideration

I don’t think there is necessarily a hard and fast rule about how much home working you should or shouldn’t offer your staff, however what is key is that firms should give serious consideration to offering some flexibility.

Contact Us

Latest Blogs

View All Blogs
Talent Trends   January 2025   Industry And Hiring Insights
Talent Trends Report - January 2025

​Unlock the latest talent trends for your businessStay ahead of the competition with insights from our latest Talent Trends report. Discover how contract and temporary staff can fill critical talen...

Blue Monday   Changing The Narrative   Legal, Tech And Insurance Jobs
Blue Monday: Changing the narrative

Blue Monday. It’s got quite the reputation, hasn’t it? Officially dubbed the "most depressing day of the year,” it was invented by a travel firm as a clever ploy to sell more holidays. That catchy...

Tech Recruiting Companies   Building Exceptional Teams
Tech Recruiting Companies: Your Partner in Building Exceptional Teams

Hiring the right technology talent can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Whether you’re scaling up your team or filling a critical role, the process can feel overwhelming and stressfu...

Integration Project Case Study
Case Study | Rapid Team Formation for Major Insurance Integration Project

​Following a major acquisition, our client - a leading UK-based insurance integrator - needed to rapidly build a specialised team to handle the complex integration of newly acquired assets. This in...

The Hidden Costs Of A Bad Hire
The True Cost of a Bad Hire: How to Avoid Expensive Recruitment Mistakes

​Imagine hiring someone who seemed like the perfect fit, only to realise months or even years down the line that they weren’t up to the job. It’s an all-too-familiar scenario for many businesses. W...

Why You Need To Find A New Job   The Brutal Truth
Why it’s time to quit your job: The brutal truth

Are you stuck in a job that no longer excites or challenges you? The dreaded Sunday night anxiety is creeping in, and you’ve been feeling restless at work for months. If you’re unsure whether it’s ...

2025 Career Change
​New Year, New Career: Finding Your Perfect Path in 2025

The New Year is here, and for many of us, it’s a time for reflection and goal-setting. For those returning to work on the first working day of the year, it’s also an opportunity to take stock of wh...

Specialist Recruitment Agencies   The Evolution Of Recruitment
The UK Recruitment Landscape: Past, Present, and Future

​Recruitment has always been a dynamic field, shaped by societal, technological, and economic changes. As a specialist recruitment agency across Insurance, Legal, and Technology, Gerrard White has...

Technology Recruiting Companies
Get the job in tech you want with our help

​Here at Gerrard White Consulting we know that breaking into the tech industry or advancing your career in this ever-changing field can be incredibly challenging. That’s why we’re here to help. Wh...

Tech Recruiting Companies
Recruit your team in tech with Gerrard White

​Finding the perfect, qualified, individuals to make your team function efficiently can be a long, and frustrating process. Here, at Gerrard White Consulting, we aim to connect employers and emplo...

Assessment Centres
Case Study | Leading an Assessment Centre for General Insurers Annual Graduate Intake

A leading general insurance provider aimed to hire five skilled trainees for their pricing department, specifically targeting graduates with strong mathematical, actuarial, and engineering academi...

Work Life Balance At Christmas
Why winding down at Christmas boosts productivity and well-being: A recruitment consultant's perspective

As the festive season approaches, the pressure of end-of-year targets, unfinished projects, and planning for the year ahead can be overwhelming. But the Christmas and New Year break isn’t just a ho...

Contractor Hiring
Unlocking Project Success with Gerrard White Consulting

​In today’s fast-paced project environments, success hinges on assembling the right team. Whether managing a small initiative or a large-scale project, having skilled contractors on board is critic...